coming up op the alma awards post show, the challenges that still remain for the workforce in america. labor secretary tom perez joins us. stay with us. oh no. oh no. it s a really good speech, i promise. i just want to say i m going to read through it. we band together, fight together with passion and optimism, when we do that there is absolutely knock that can stop us. then we can look at our grandchildren in the eye and say when that problem sfruk my family and my world this is what we did. we will tell them how we fought like hell in 2013 to pass comprehensive immigration reform. [ incidentals on the field related to game ]
force with the purchasing power of $1 trillion a year and their influence isn t limited to economics. a record 13 million hispanics voted in the 2012 presidential election, 2 million more than in 2008. the power of the latino vote is changing the american political landscape. in 2008 bill richardson became the first latino to run for president. that same year, president obama appointed the first latino labor secretary. she was succeeded this year by thomas perez. as the name barack hussein obama never changed the presidency, so too do the names of cruz and ma mere rez hold true to shape or heritage. with me onset here al madrigal,
it go. we ve got a show to do. hey, it s janet murguia. i got this. welcome back.back. we are live from the american latino music and arts awards post show. american workers are still feeling the effects of the recession. latinos are facing a disproportionate struggle to get back on their feet. at present, the jobless rate for hispanics sits a at .3%, a full two points above the national average. one in four latinos lives in poverty compared to one in six americans overall. a new report from the afl-cio finds latino workers still earn lower wages than any other ethnic group. on average, hispanic men make $70 less per week than african-americans and nearly $300 less than whites. joining me now is labor secretary, tom perez. and back with me are maria teresa kumar and janet mardia.